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      Frederick Tang Architecture turns Brooklyn building into restaurant celebrating owners’ Lebanese roots

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      Architecture and interior design studio Frederick Tang Architecture has transformed a 19th-century building into a Lebanese restaurant in Brooklyn with “an abundance of textures”.

      Named Nabila’s, the restaurant opened in May 2022 and was designed in collaboration with restaurant co-owner Mike Farah. The renovation transformed a formerly dark, segmented space into a restaurant that aims to reflect the heritage of its owners – a mother and her son.
      The renovation transformed the old building into a bright, colourful space”The client wanted to create an authentic food experience, one that reflected his Lebanese background and that evoked the spirit of his mother’s dinner parties.” Frederick Tang Architecture (FTA) director of interior design and branding Barbara Reyes told Dezeen.
      “The result is an abundance of textures, patterns, lush colours, and hints of Middle Eastern moments while celebrating his mother’s home cooking.”
      Accents of colour and patterns call upon Middle Eastern designNabila’s takes up the ground floor of an 1886 Queen Anne corner building in Cobble Hill, a Brooklyn neighbourhood where restaurant co-owner Farah grew up.

      Frederick Tang Architecture transformed the existing structure into a bright space with curving architectural motifs.
      Through the use of rich materials and colour palettes, the studio sought to nod to the Lebanese roots of the owners whilst embracing aspects of the existing building that would work with the new design.
      The restaurant was renovated from an existing corner building in Cobble Hill”Our favourite projects are ones with some historic contexts when we can create something that’s both old and new,” said FTA director of design Frederick Tang. “We loved playing with some original details and inventing new ones that work with them.”
      “Before we started the project, the space was occupied by a popular gastropub style restaurant,” Tang told Dezeen.
      “It was a neighbourhood staple, so the client felt pressure to maintain some history while being true to the roots of this project,” Reyes added.
      FTA painted the timber-clad ground floor black and added green awnings”The interior was more like a moody library with lots of dark wood and it had a lot of character but we knew we wanted to make it feel much lighter,” Tang continued.
      The upper floors of the Cobble Hill building are made from brick, whilst the ground floor is clad in timber with ornamental mouldings. The facade has now been painted black, with curved forest green awnings referencing the interior.

      Pita bread shop interior by Studio Roslyn is based on bad food photography

      Upon entering, guests are met with a curving quartz counter that arcs away from the entryway.
      The counter is used to display dishes in a way that aims to reflect the abundant spreads of food at the owner’s dinner parties which inspired the design.
      A feast-like display of food acts as a visual menuThe wall behind the counter is covered in fish scale cement tiles. Pendant-style lights from Kelly Wearstler’s Tableau collection hang from the ceiling above.
      Beyond this, patterned finishes that the studio felt reflect Lebanese art, architecture and foliage become visible.
      The studio used plants and patterned wallpaper to bring in themes of foliage”We started with some source imagery of Middle Eastern themes, and we knew we did not want to imitate or create a pastiche, but we wanted to reference it with a lighter touch – it came in the rounded corners, the arches, the colours, and the patterns,” said Tang.
      A teal and cream tile floor by French architect India Mahdavi lines the long interior, stretching through a series of arches that organise the space.
      The seating booths next to the entrance are decorated with brightly coloured accentsNext to the storefront window, seating booths are formed by two recessed arches painted with purple accents whilst additional arches on either side of the counter contain shelving.
      The booths are covered in a floral pattern by Hella Jongerius, while a patterned wallpaper coats the ceiling in the back of the restaurant.
      The colour scheme is carried into the seating area at the back of the restaurantAs Nabila’s welcomes guests, the studio envisions this back section with warm light, rich colours will host many lively neighbourhood meals.
      Other Lebanese restaurants featured on Dezeen include Studio Roslyn’s restaurant based on bad food photography in Victoria, Canada and a Lebanese snack bar by architect David Dworkind featuring an array of ash-wood furniture.
      The photography is by Gieves Anderson.

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      BAAO extends Carroll Gardens Townhouse around a magnolia tree

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      A family home in Brooklyn has been extended and renovated by local studio Barker Associates Architecture Office, to expand the kitchen and create larger rooms for the daughters.

      The Carroll Gardens Townhouse, located a block away from the Gowanus Canal, was the family of four’s home for a decade before they decided they needed more space.
      BAAO extended the home in Brooklyn to create more living space on all three floorsWorking around a magnolia tree in the back yard, Barker Associates Architecture Office (BAAO) designed an extension to all three storeys that provides additional living areas both inside and out.
      At parlour level, the floor plan was opened up and storage was created through built-ins.
      A dining roon occupies the extension at parlour levelIn the lounge area, colourful decor includes a custom Bower Studios mirror that hangs above the existing marble wood-burning fireplace.

      “The finishes feature lots of vibrant colour, pattern, texture, and cozy nooks,” said the architecture studio.
      The kitchen features white lacquer and fir cabinetryThe kitchen has white lacquer and fir cabinetry to complement the pine floors, which run through the majority of the home.
      The dining table is placed in the extension, where it enjoys views of the back yard through a large window that also accommodates a built-in bench.
      At garden level, a grey felt curtain can be drawn to partition the space for guestsLinking the multiple levels, the staircase was restored and modified to fit widened openings that make the most of the skylight above the hallway on the upper floor.
      Reorganised bedrooms upstairs are now more spacious, with bright colours and patterned wallpaper used to personalise each room.
      A seating area looks onto the back yardThe parents’ suite is at the front of the building, while the daughters’ twin rooms occupy the extended volume at the back.
      At garden level, a small kitchen for entertaining joins a sunken blue-tiled living space, a home office and a pegboard wall that allows the family to organise their outdoor gear.
      The architects created a giant pegboard wall for the family to store their outdoor gearA grey felt curtain can be drawn across to separate an area for guests.
      Outdoors, a new steel staircase with wooden treads leads down from the parlor-level deck to the garden.

      Home Studios renovates Fort Greene Townhouse designed for entertaining

      A bluestone terrace curves around the magnolia tree and is sheltered by the deck above.
      Pavers lead past planting to another seating nook, built into the cedar fencing at the back of the property.
      The extension is designed around a magnolia tree”An arborist was consulted to determine the sizing and placement of the extension, deck, and garden terrace, and a plant consultant was employed to help choose appropriate native species for the garden,” the team said.
      BAAO was founded by Alexandra Barker in 2006, and the Brooklyn studio has worked extensively in the New York borough and beyond.
      A bluestone terrace is sheltered by a deck aboveLast year, the team’s completed projects included two daycare centres: one featuring curved apertures and blue tones, and another with house-shaped openings and cheerful hues.
      The photography is by Francis Dzikowski/OTTO.
      Project credits:
      Flooring: Hudson FlooringLighting: Allied Maker, Cedar and Moss, Dutton Brown, Hand and Eye Studio, Hollis and Morris, ApparatusWallpaper: Farrow and Ball, Hygge and West, SpoonflowerTile: Cle, Complete TilePlumbing fixtures and fittings: Vola, Watermark, California Faucets, KastRugs: Aelfie, Studio Proba

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      Park Slope condo becomes New York City's “largest mass-timber building”

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      Local studio Mesh Architectures has completed Timber House, a condominium in Brooklyn that developer The Brooklyn Home Company claims is “the largest mass timber building in New York City.”

      Timber House is made of glue-laminated timber, a type of structurally engineered wood used to make mass timber structures, and is the largest mass-timber project in New York City in terms of square footage and height, according to The Brooklyn Home Company.
      It is also the first condominium project in the city to be built using mass timber, the developer said.
      The building has 14 condos”Timber House started with the simple notion of creating a sense of life in a building, which engages, stimulates, and at the same time, calms us,” said Eric Lifton, founder and principal of Mesh Architectures.
      “The way we do that here is by using a plant as the primary building material.”

      The building’s columns, beams and floor plates are all mass timber, while the core had to be made of concrete masonry because of city restrictions, the studio said.
      The apartments stretch across the length of the structureTimber House is located in the residential Park Slope neighbourhood in Brooklyn and comprises 14 condos that stretch from the street-side to the back of the building.
      According to Mesh Architectures, the building was “constructed with passive house principles”.
      While not passive-house certified, it was built with solar photovoltaic panels on the roof to provide energy, and mineral wool and polyisocyanurate insulation to reduce the need for air conditioning.
      Heating and air conditioning is provided by air-source heat pumps.
      The building was developed in collaboration with The Brooklyn Home CompanyIt also features passive house-quality windows with triple glazing, and the 10 parking spaces in its ground-floor garage each have an electric charging station.
      The building’s facade is characterized by a flat face made with Danish brick that, according to the team, was chosen to integrate the building into the mostly brownstone neighbourhood.
      On the upper levels, the envelope is sculpted into jutting windows and recessed balconies with glass railings. The balconies’ undersides are wooden, giving the exterior palette a touch of the timber within.
      The floors are also made of woodA rooftop terrace provides views of Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan.
      Inside, wooden walls and ceilings line the corridors, which have hexagonal tiling on the floor that was designed custom by Mesh and produced in Turkey.
      The condos have 11-feet-tall (3.3 metres-tall) ceilings and feature exposed timber beams with LED lights that are integrated directly into the wood.

      The Dezeen guide to mass timber in architecture

      The timber beams also extend down from the ceiling to frame some of the walls and windows, providing insight into the building’s structural makeup.
      “The exposed wooden beams present in the home create a style reminiscent of city living in the 1960s and ’70s when we picture those large loft-style residences, which is really special,” said Bill Caleo of The Brooklyn Home Company.
      “As a city, if we want to lower our carbon footprint we need to prioritize mass timber.”
      In addition to the ceiling and beams the condos have wooden accentsFlooring in the living areas is wood, while the kitchen is floored with white tile to match the white cabinetry – accented with natural wood tones – and a long, white island.
      Other recently-announced designs for mass timber structures include the world’s tallest timber building designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and a Henning Larsen-designed Volvo experience centre in Sweden.
      The photography is by Travis Mark. 

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      Sella designs “post-pandemic” offices for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Brooklyn

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      London studio Sella has created office interiors for tech company Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Dumbo, New York City, with a focus on flexible and collaborative space to entice employees back to the workplace.

      The 3,000-square-foot (280-square-metre) office has a prime waterfront location at 10 Jay Street, inside a former sugar refinery overhauled by ODA Architecture in 2019.
      Sella designed the Sidewalk Infrastructure Projects offices with a focus on communal spaceDesigned during the coronavirus pandemic, the workspaces for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners are open and flexible — more akin to a members club than a traditional office.
      “Sella sensitively evolved the design to create the first-generation post-pandemic office space, championing the merge of the workspace and membership culture within private office environments,” said the studio.
      The interiors are more akin to a members club than a tech startup officeTravel restrictions also meant that Sella had to execute the project from the UK, in collaboration with the New York office of architecture firm Gensler.

      Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners is a startup backed by Google’s parent company Alphabet, and a spin-off of smart cities initiative Sidewalk Labs.
      A kitchen area is arranged around a curved plaster wallAt its offices, the building’s industrial heritage is celebrated through exposed brick columns and poured concrete floors.
      A large area in the centre of the plan, for both employees and guests to congregate, is arranged around a tree.
      Taps are built into the wall for a minimal effectCustom banquettes, upholstered in fabrics by Dedar and Maharam, offer casual seating against the wall and beside the greenery. Opposite, the kitchen area is set against a gently arced partition between two brick columns.
      The curve is continued in the shape of walnut-fronted cabinets and a white, oval island that reaches bar height. Beer and kombucha taps and other hardware are plumbed directly into the wall for a clean, minimalist finish.
      Another curved wall leads to private work areasAnother new textured-plaster wall curves behind the kitchenette, leading employees to the more private work areas.
      “These casual break-out spaces linking with the more private, formal moments within the office were sensitively considered by Sella to push the brief of an office based on connection, born out of the pandemic,” said Sella.

      Sella Concept applies “cocoon of rich materials and colour” to interiors of east London office

      Meeting rooms are positioned along the glazed facade, overlooking the East River.
      An engineered bronze conference table with a leather-like top can be rolled along a track in the concrete floor, to facilitate larger board meetings when needed.
      Meeting rooms overlook the East RiverWarm neutral colours in all of the spaces are complemented by lighting from American brand Allied Maker, while quirky details include cabinet handles by UK-based Swarf Hardware.
      “With the ease of working from home, an office now needs to work harder to entice employees to connect with each other and with clients – thereby Sella’s design aims to incentivise behaviour with connectivity at its heart,” the studio said.
      A brass floor track allows conference tables to be joined together for large meetingsSella was founded by Tatjana von Stein and Gayle Noonan, and works across interiors, furniture, branding and set design.
      Interchangeably known as Sella Concept, the studio has also completed the London headquarters for fashion brand Sister Jane, a co-working space in the UK capital and a collection of curvaceous furniture.
      The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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      Amity Street Residence is a “minimal but warm” New York apartment

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      Interior design studios Rawan Muqaddas and Selma Akkari have renovated an apartment in a 20th-century building in Brooklyn, New York, adding warm and natural materials to the residential space.

      Amity Street Residence is located on the fourth floor of a stone building that was built in 1910, overlooking a quiet but central corner of the city at the intersection of Amity and Clinton street.
      Amity Street Residence has been renovated into an open plan apartment. Photo by Clement PascalNew York studio Selma Akkari collaborated with London studio Rawan Muqqadas on the 1,400 square-foot interiors, which have been updated from a “neglected” apartment into a space filled with warm colours.
      As part of the renovation, the studios rearranged the rooms to create space for an additional third bedroom if required.
      Rawan Muqaddas collaborated with Selma Akkari to create a warm interior”A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich,” said Rawan Muqaddas, founder of eponymous studio Rawan Muqaddas.

      “We wanted to retain the essence of the 1910 building by reinterpreting the original traditional details, which we were excited to build on,” she told Dezeen.
      “The previous owners of the apartment called this their home for decades, leaving behind layers of history and some areas that were left neglected.”
      Stained oak shelves line the back of the dining areaThe two studios transformed the single floor apartment into an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area. A handful of original features, such as the decorative cornice and bold skirting, were preserved.
      The living space now boasts views across the street from the two large bay windows, which had previously been obscured.
      Cream coloured paint lines the walls. Photo by Clement Pascal”The first thing that caught our eye was the 30-foot apartment frontage composed of the width across both bay windows,” recalled Muqaddas.
      “As it stood, the windows felt shy and in hiding; we wanted to do the opposite and celebrate the curve.”
      Large bay windows were made into a focal pointFloors in the apartment have been covered in warm wood, while the walls were painted in a creamy neutral colour. A couple of contemporary chairs frame the window and let the inhabitants enjoy the street views.
      “A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves,” said Selma Akkari, founder of Selma Akkari.
      A study area sits at the back of the room and could easily be swapped for a third bedroom if necessary, the designers said.

      Rawan Muqaddas designs Sloane Street Deli to be a “classic neighbourhood spot”

      The studios also retained the apartment’s curved interior arches that run through its core. These openings help create a feeling of space.
      “To encourage a dialogue between the interior and exterior, we wanted to carry through the historic curved facade into the curved interior arches,” Akkari told Dezeen.
      “This was the guiding theme throughout the process: opening up the front area as the living and dining space and dedicating the quieter area to the more private spaces at the back.”
      The apartment has oak flooringThe apartment now has an airy aluminium-clad kitchen with an island counter and a long marble shelf in place of overhead storage cabinets.
      “We were very attracted to contrasting and unexpected colours and textures, in particular, the brushed metal counter topped with a veiny marble, with a backdrop of dark smoked oak shelving,” said Akkari.
      The same warm palette is continued in the bedrooms. Photo by Clement PascalThe warm material palette continues in the master bedroom and second bedroom, where the same flooring and beige furnishings can be found.
      More Brooklyn interiors include a townhouse with a striking staircase by New York studio Space4Architecture and a family-friendly townhouse called Bed-Stuy by Brooklyn studio Civilian.
      Photography is by Sean Davidson unless stated otherwise.

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      The New Work Project is a monochrome co-working space in Brooklyn

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      A shared workspace for creatives has opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with minimalist black and white interiors and gold-toned accents.

      The New Work Project is the brainchild of The New Design Project, a studio founded by Parsons graduates Fanny Abbes and James Davison.
      The stark colour scheme of The New Work Project becomes apparent upon entering the reception areaHaving worked in finance for a time, the duo returned to their design roots to set up the co-working space in a converted foundry building, and craft its interiors.
      They describe it as “a place for like-minded people to come together in an environment that is personal and intimate, and designed for collaboration”, adding that the space is “individually designed to inspire, stimulate, promote creativity and facilitate fluid working”.
      Members can choose from a variety of seating options in the open-plan spaceA largely monochrome theme is followed through the space — from walls and door frames to furniture to artworks — with light fixtures, flooring and decorative plants adding some colour.

      “Bold accents of black and gold are carried throughout the space with an overall modern approach to the design,” said the founders. “Clean lights are beautifully accentuated with track lighting against the white interiors.”
      Caned modernist chairs accompany a large meeting tableThe stark palette is evident immediately upon entering into a vestibule painted black on its three sides and ceiling.
      A reception desk has a pale marble top cut into an angular shape, and is lit by a thin linear fixture that runs up the wall and across the ceiling to form a 90-degree angle.
      Desks are arranged in U-shape configurations opposite a marble barBeyond is a lounge area, where four black-framed modernist chairs with caned backs and seats face a large upholstered ottoman.
      The dark central seating sits on a pale grey rug, as do a pair of styled coffee tables on either side.
      Private conference rooms can be booked for meetingsA larger meeting table surrounded by the same caned chairs is positioned in front of a series of private conference rooms, which are available for members to book for meetings.
      There’s also a trio of phone booth-style rooms from which individuals can take calls.
      Phone booths offer privacy for individual calls”The intimate ’boutique’ space creates a community environment while also creating a place for work and productivity,” the founders said.
      The remainder of the co-working space is open plan, with light wood flooring throughout and white on all of the walls except those painted black at each end.

      The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

      Tables are laid out in U-shape configurations, divided by black-tinted glass partitions where they face one another.
      Three-branched brass lights hang overhead, while lamps with globe-shaped bulbs are placed on each desk.
      Gold-toned accents are found throughout the spaceA marble bar, accompanied by a line of black stools, separates this work area from a kitchen for members to prepare and eat food.
      Some of the building’s original steel columns are left exposed, their rough surfaces contrasting with the white walls and marble counters.
      The monochrome scheme continues down to artworks and stylingNew York City has no shortage of co-working spaces. Many are similarly using design to entice members, like The Malin that recently opened in Soho.
      Our latest lookbook rounds up 10 shared workspaces around the world that offer a reprieve from the home office.

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